pages

Thursday, December 12, 2013

BHV DIY Xmas

Who would expect dear BHV in the Marais and home of brass door pulls, shower curtains and other household bricabrac, to have the wittiest Christmas windows in town.

The everyday Clementine or Mandarine, a sure sign of winter's arrival, can happily adorn the most upscale holiday tables like these in BHV's windows. Films of chefs cooking up a storm lurk in the background.

BHV has taken the spoon to new culinary heights with this spoony chandelier.

Another use for your whip is to give your nearest and dearest a good bash should they get out of line during the hols (as most relatives are inclined to do). Make sure they're wearing a colander please.

Bears swinging from the whip lights.

French kiddies thought this was a hoot!

Oh what to do with the knitted saucisson?

Or the pied de porc..?

Time to put one's nose deep in a cookbook.

Or bang a tarte pan (for inspiration).

The kugelhopf is a must on the traditional French Christmas table.

Miam Miam

Bund pans make fine lighting fixtures too.

Take a brush to your empty tins with a splash of bronze et voila, voila. Elegant vases for flowers your guests bring.

Will you have Christmas crackers? A much loved English tradition. Across the street from BHV pyramids of lights and a carrousel at Hotel de Ville. December 20th the skating rink opens. All very festive at BHV non?

Super yum orange on that mandarine…I am head over heels in love with BHV! Will immediately start wiring all my kitchenware for lights. There will be nothing left to cook Christmas dinner in, but we will have crackers!

Ah, Christmas crackers? I love them and it has always been our tradition - except every 2 yrs I bring them out for the French family and they look at me as if I'm mad. 'Tis not in their culture, boohoo.Cute post, Carol!

Bonsoir!My French father used to take a tangerine, cut it in half through the middle, remove the fruit, use the pulp as a wick and make an orange candle with oil inside and a hole in the top. It was a tradition for Christmas and New Years and I carry on that tradition with my own children. It is just a little tangerine that makes our celebration a bit more magical!Suzanne@ Le Farm

Bonjour, Carol! We will be headed to Paris for the holidays in a few days, and are excited to be staying quite near the BHV, in the Marais. The link you embedded is fantastic; however my French is quite rusty! I am very interested in reading the history- do you happen to know if the site has a version en anglais?

I didn't realize there was so much text...It does look interesting. I have Google Translate and you can directly translate to English simply by highlighting the French text but only works on the computer..

PARIS in yr Mailbox!

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5 and I'm still at it. Now I live by the Seine on l'Ile Saint-Louis. Do consider subscribing to my Paris letters and maps on Etsy and enjoy a taste of Paris in your mailbox every month to savor with a hot chocolate and croissant. I paint Paris dreams.